menu_open Columnists

Observer

We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

20 Years Later, Rebecca Minkoff Is Still Making the Perfect Bag for the Woman Who Carries It

Between running her namesake brand, spearheading a media and events company, co-hosting a podcast, parenting four kids and—until recently—making...

latest 0

Observer

Sissi Cao

Her Body as a Needle: Understanding the Conceptual Work of Kimsooja

In large-scale, immaterial site-specific installations, she uses light and sound, void and reflection as core materials—balancing the ephemeral and...

latest 0

Observer

Xinyi Ye

Patagonia Nonprofit Head Explains Why Its Owner Yvon Chouinar Gave Away the Company

Instead of selling it or taking the company public, Patagonia in 2022 adopted a purpose trust structure.

yesterday 0

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

The Artist as Conductor: How David Altmejd Taps into the Collective Unconscious Through Material

The Artist as Conductor: How David Altmejd Taps into the Collective Unconscious Through Material

Sculptor David Altmejd in his studio. © Tristan Lajarrige David Altmejd describes himself as a medium—an interpreter and channel for the energies...

yesterday 3

Observer

Elisa Carollo

Sukanya Rajaratnam Explains How the Art World Rediscovered Lynne Drexler

When a large abstraction with a $60,000 high estimate sold for $1.2 million, the art world woke up and said “Who is Lynn Drexler?”

yesterday 0

Observer

Elisa Carollo

Cherry Blossom Charm: A Global Guide to Sakura Spotting

Cherry Blossom Charm: A Global Guide to Sakura Spotting

Cherry blossoms inspire a particular form of seasonal enthusiasm. Each spring, these ephemeral blooms draw admirers who plan vacations around their...

yesterday 2

Observer

Paul Jebara

‘Moby-Dick’ Sails Confidently into the Met, and the Exhilarating Optimism of ‘Fidelio’ Arrives Just in Time

‘Moby-Dick’ Sails Confidently into the Met, and the Exhilarating Optimism of ‘Fidelio’ Arrives Just in Time

Stephen Costello and Ryan Speedo Green. Karen Almond/Met Opera After its annual winter hiatus, the Metropolitan Opera reopened with a pair of...

yesterday 1

Observer

Christopher Corwin

Who Is Lip-Bu Tan, Intel’s New Turnaround CEO?

Who Is Lip-Bu Tan, Intel’s New Turnaround CEO?

Lip-Bu Tan will take the helm of Intel on March 18. Courtesy Intel Intel’s stock is soaring after Lip-Bu Tan, a respected veteran in the...

yesterday 0

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Exhibition Diplomacy: Global Arts Institutions Tread Lightly Where Censorship Is the Norm

Exhibition Diplomacy: Global Arts Institutions Tread Lightly Where Censorship Is the Norm

Political sensitivities in China and the Gulf region present challenges for internationally focused institutions and art fairs. © Virgile Simon...

yesterday 0

Observer

Daniel Grant

Blockchain’s Billion-Dollar Blunder: How Finance’s Tech Revolution Became an Awkward Evolution

Blockchain’s Billion-Dollar Blunder: How Finance’s Tech Revolution Became an Awkward Evolution

Blockchain can enhance traditional financial systems, but mass adoption requires a focus on interoperability, usability and regulation. Unsplash ...

yesterday 0

Observer

Boris Bohrer-Bilowitzki

Vertigo, Rust and Nostalgia: How a ’74 Dodge Dart Turned My Winter Blues Into a Joyride

Vertigo, Rust and Nostalgia: How a ’74 Dodge Dart Turned My Winter Blues Into a Joyride

A 1974 Dodge Dart Custom Sedan was the ultimate collector’s item for Observer writer Charley Soderbergh. Courtesy Charley Soderbergh After a rather...

yesterday 0

Observer

Charley Soderbergh

Where to Get the Best Salads in L.A.

Where to Get the Best Salads in L.A.

For decades, eating a salad was seen as more a chore than a treat. However, over the last few years, upscale eateries have put a modern and...

previous day 4

Observer

Allie Lebos

‘The Electric State’ Review: An Expensive Artifact of Our Soulless Technocracy

‘The Electric State’ Review: An Expensive Artifact of Our Soulless Technocracy

Millie Bobby Brown as Michelle in The Electric State Paul Abell/Netflix The Electric State , the 2017 graphic novel by Swedish artist Simon...

previous day 2

Observer

Dylan Roth

Who Is Aravind Srinivas, the Founder and CEO Behind $9B Perplexity AI?

Who Is Aravind Srinivas, the Founder and CEO Behind $9B Perplexity AI?

Aravind Srinivas speaks during the Semafor 2024 World Economy Summit in Washington, D.C. on April 18, 2024. AFP via Getty Images Aravind Srinivas...

previous day 4

Observer

Olivia Peluso

With Trump’s Tariffs, the Canadian Art Market Looks for Opportunities Elsewhere

With Trump’s Tariffs, the Canadian Art Market Looks for Opportunities Elsewhere

Hangama Amiri’s The Other Home (2024) at the Toronto Biennial in 2024. Courtesy of the Toronto Biennial of Art Following a series of tense,...

previous day 3

Observer

Elisa Carollo

‘Esos Colores son Prohibidos’: An Interview With Artist Ana Segovia

‘Esos Colores son Prohibidos’: An Interview With Artist Ana Segovia

Ana Segovia’s neon portraits of the iconography of Mexican charros are inspired by a desire to subvert gendered aesthetics. Courtesy Jose Cuervo...

previous day 3

Observer

Dan Duray

In Her L.A. Debut, Shilpa Gupta Exposes the Fragility of National Identity

In Her L.A. Debut, Shilpa Gupta Exposes the Fragility of National Identity

Shilpa Gupta’s Los Angeles debut, “Some Suns Fell Off,” reframes nationalism through poetic fragments and disrupted forms. Photo by Jeff McLane,...

previous day 2

Observer

Elisa Carollo

Meat Me in Miami: Danny Grant Opens Glitzy Modern Steakhouse Maple & Ash

Meat Me in Miami: Danny Grant Opens Glitzy Modern Steakhouse Maple & Ash

Maple & Ash lands in Miami. World Red Eye Maple & Ash , a new-school steakhouse with a playful attitude and plenty of over-the-top flourishes,...

previous day 3

Observer

Andy Wang

What’s in a Name? Mao, Margaret Thatcher and Marie Antoinette Offer Answers at MONA

What’s in a Name? Mao, Margaret Thatcher and Marie Antoinette Offer Answers at MONA

He Xiangyu, Tank Project, 2011-2013. Courtesy of Mona / Jesse Hunniford Objects, when touched by fame or infamy, often gain a rare mystique. This...

previous day 3

Observer

Nathan Smith

Vimeo CEO Philip Moyer Is Approaching A.I. Differently: SXSW Interview

Vimeo CEO Philip Moyer Is Approaching A.I. Differently: SXSW Interview

Vimeo CEO Philip Moyer (left) spoke onstage with Fortune’s Kristin Stoller (right) at SXSW in Austin, Texas on March 11. Heidi Jackman/Vimeo When...

previous day 2

Observer

Rachel Curry

The Dallas Art Fair Director Kelly Cornell Sees ‘All Eyes On Texas’

The Dallas Art Fair Director Kelly Cornell Sees ‘All Eyes On Texas’

With its ‘sticky’ collector base, a growing roster of participating galleries and a rapidly expanding audience, the Dallas Art Fair is shaping the...

tuesday 7

Observer

Elisa Carollo

Joy Behar Adds Playwright to Her Resume With ‘My First Ex-Husband’

Joy Behar Adds Playwright to Her Resume With ‘My First Ex-Husband’

Joy Behar (center) onstage at opening night of My First Ex-Husband at MMAC Theater on February 06, 2025 in New York City. Rob Kim/Getty Images The...

tuesday 10

Observer

Harry Haun

The Best Everyday White T-Shirts For Men

The Best Everyday White T-Shirts For Men

The paradox of the white T-shirt is unmistakable: it's simultaneously the most democratic garment ever created and the most scrutinized investment...

tuesday 2

Observer

Paul Jebara

‘Black Bag’ Review: Love as a Spy Game

‘Black Bag’ Review: Love as a Spy Game

Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett in Black Bag Courtesy of Focus Features. Nobody makes a cool little movie like Steven Soderbergh. Never tied...

tuesday 3

Observer

Dylan Roth

How Forgotten Cars Fund Education

How Forgotten Cars Fund Education

Donating unused vehicles can turn forgotten cars into funding for education and scholarships. Unsplash Some donations come in neat envelopes....

tuesday 1

Observer

Raul E. Machuca Jr.

Food, Fashion and Furniture: New York’s Best Designer-Backed Restaurants

Food, Fashion and Furniture: New York’s Best Designer-Backed Restaurants

Along with designer dresses, leather handbags and custom couches, some of the most renowned luxury brands now offer New Yorkers another luxury...

tuesday 9

Observer

Erica Chayes Wida

Meta’s A.I. Safety Head Defends Removing Guardrails in A.I. Models

Meta’s A.I. Safety Head Defends Removing Guardrails in A.I. Models

Meta wants more neutrality in its A.I. outputs. Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC As Meta (META) continues to embrace a commitment to free expression,...

tuesday 6

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Apple TV+ Chief Unpacks Costly Content Strategy with ‘Severence’ Director


Apple TV+ Chief Unpacks Costly Content Strategy with ‘Severence’ Director


Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, speaking at SXSW on March 9, 2025. Eric Charbonneau/Apple TV via Getty Images Quality over...

tuesday 5

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Art Market Insights: 2024 Saw More Transactions But Fewer Record-Setting Sales

Art Market Insights: 2024 Saw More Transactions But Fewer Record-Setting Sales

Georgina Hilton on the rostrum during Christie’s 2024 sale of the Rosa de la Cruz Collection. Courtesy of Christie's While the art market is...

tuesday 6

Observer

Elisa Carollo

How Artist Kevin Demery Is Reshaping Implicit Understandings in Kansas City

How Artist Kevin Demery Is Reshaping Implicit Understandings in Kansas City

Each sculpture in “A Lesson Before Dying” challenges the viewer to interrogate the objects’ layered meanings and their role in constructing racial...

tuesday 2

Observer

Leia Genis

Colossal Biosciences CEO Dissects the $10B Startup’s Effort to Bring Back Extinct Animals

Colossal Biosciences CEO Dissects the $10B Startup’s Effort to Bring Back Extinct Animals

Colossal Biosciences CEO Ben Lamm speaking at SXSW in Austin, Texas on March 9. Amy E. Price/SXSW Conference & Festivals via Getty Images Bringing...

10.03.2025 6

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

‘Dope Thief’ Review: Derivative Crime Drama With Outstanding Cast

‘Dope Thief’ Review: Derivative Crime Drama With Outstanding Cast

Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura star in Dope Thief. Courtesy of Apple TV Press After they bust a small-time drug house, stealing the cash and...

10.03.2025 1

Observer

Laura Babiak

Cecily Brown On Revisiting History, Subverting the Gaze and Embracing the Accident

Cecily Brown On Revisiting History, Subverting the Gaze and Embracing the Accident

Cecily Brown, Saboteur four times, 2019; Oil on linen and oil on U.V.-curable pigment on linen, in four parts, overall: 67 × 212 in. (170.2 × 538.5...

10.03.2025 6

Observer

Elisa Carollo

Monika Sprüth and Philomene Magers On the Resilience of the German Art Scene

Monika Sprüth and Philomene Magers On the Resilience of the German Art Scene

Installation view: “Jenny Holzer: WORDS” at Sprüth Magers, New York. Genevieve Hanson This may not be Germany’s finest hour, as the country...

10.03.2025 2

Observer

Elisa Carollo

The Best Hotels in West Hollywood

The Best Hotels in West Hollywood

Positioned perfectly between Beverly Hills and Hollywood, West Hollywood is an urban oasis known for its legendary nightlife, high-end shopping and...

10.03.2025 7

Observer

Allie Lebos

Where to Find the Best Cocktails and Vibes in Miami

Where to Find the Best Cocktails and Vibes in Miami

While Miami’s beaches and endless summer vibes are the main draws, the city’s vibrant nightlife scene is a close contender, offering everything...

10.03.2025 5

Observer

Leila Najafi

A Mickalene Thomas-Designed McLaren Artura GT4 Is Poised to Hit the Track

A Mickalene Thomas-Designed McLaren Artura GT4 Is Poised to Hit the Track

The McLaren Artura GT4 designed by Mickalene Thomas for DART Car. Photo courtesy of DART Car What do the worlds of motorsports and fine art have in...

10.03.2025 7

Observer

Phoebe Roberts

In ‘Illuminated Threads,’ Artist Faig Ahmed Distorts Pious History

In ‘Illuminated Threads,’ Artist Faig Ahmed Distorts Pious History

An installation view of “Illuminated Threads: Contemporary and Traditional Rugs” is at the Birmingham Museum of Art. Courtesy the Birmingham...

10.03.2025 2

Observer

Leia Genis

Bluesky CEO Jay Graber Is Building a Billionaire-Proof Social Media Site

Bluesky CEO Jay Graber Is Building a Billionaire-Proof Social Media Site

Bluesky CEO Jay Graber speaking at SXSW today in a “mundus sine caesaribus” shirt (March 10). Samantha Burkardt/SXSW Conference & Festivals via...

10.03.2025 6

Observer

Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly